Overview
- US forces have struck or disabled multiple commercial vessels enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports, and one US strike on a Palau‑flagged tanker killed three Indian seafarers, provoking a strong response from India.
- India has summoned the US chargé d’affaires twice and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed the attacks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as New Delhi demanded accountability.
- Separate incidents this week saw an India‑flagged vessel, MSV Virat 1, suffer engine failure off Oman with all 14 Indian crew rescued and an Indian seafarer, Nishanth Uirthanathan, die aboard MT Celestial in Duqm port with repatriation arrangements under way.
- US officials say their strikes followed repeated orders to ships they allege were violating the blockade, while critics point to flags of convenience and opaque ship ownership as factors that make identifying cargo and responsibility difficult.
- The killings and repeated emergencies have triggered domestic political criticism in India, advisories limiting seafarer deployment to conflict areas, and risks of higher insurance and shipping costs that could affect Indian seafarers and trade.